The International Top 30

A European Union facing economic crisis, a major slowdown in growth in China, a prolonged slump in Japan, uncertainty in the US and continued unrest in the Middle East. There’s no doubt that the world has become a scary place in the past year, as the global economy slows and raw material costs rise. Marketers around the world must navigate these treacherous waters and some of them are doing it far more successfully than others.

One of these is Unilever, which has been a force in emerging markets for decades—if not centuries. While Procter & Gamble, its chief rival, struggles to find a balance between meeting the needs of consumers in the developed world and those in emerging markets, Unilever has re-emerged as a force to be reckoned with in regions such as Southeast Asia and India. Last year, sales in emerging markets rose 11% and now account for more than half of Unilever’s annual sales.

On the household care side of the business, Reckitt Benckiser continues to get the job done. Sales rose 4% last year and net income increased 9%. Looking ahead, the company is focused on the fastest growing clusters of consumers, which just happen to be in Brazil, Russia, India and China, as well as in Africa and the Middle East.

LVMH is another company that has weathered the economic turmoil. The company stuck to its prestige roots even as the world’s financial system was coming unglued. Now LVMH is reaping the benefits.
The maker of fragrances, skin care and color cosmetics is posting strong results even though its portfolio is chock full of high-end brands like Guerlain and Christian Dior. LVMH’s success just goes to show you that business can thrive when the execution is right.

To find out how these and 27 other companies have fared during the past year and what their plans are for the future, read The International Top 30 on the following pages. It provides a concise look at the results and expectations of largest players in the household and personal products industry with headquarters outside the US.

To get a complete picture of the global household and personal products industry, be sure to refer to The Top 50, a look at the biggest companies in the US market, which appeared in the July issue of Happi.